VEGETATION MAPPING AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SEEKING REPEATABLE MEASUREMENT

1. VEGETATION MAPPING AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENTSEEKING REPEATABLE MEASUREMENT NATIONAL MILITARY FISH & WILDLIFE ASSOCIATION Wednesday, March 12, 2014 Jonathan Dunn AECOM

2. Vegetation Mapping and WildlifeHabitatOutline of Presentation • How is a fine-scale vegetation map useful to the Wildlife Manager? • How are fine-scale vegetation maps typically produced? • How do methods for fine-scale and broad-scale mapping differ? • How can these methods be used for monitoring habitats and detecting change?

3. Vegetation Mapping and WildlifeHabitatConcepts An accurate and sufficiently attributed vegetation map is a fundamentally useful base analysis layer for wildlife management Minimum attribution should include finest level of vegetation classification possible (Group < Alliance < Association) and additional compositional and structural characteristics (cover density, heterogeneity, height, etc) But “sufficient” attribution should also consider the habitat requirements and ecologies of the management species

4. Vegetation Mapping and WildlifeHabitatLocating Survey Areas and Quantifying Effort

5. Vegetation Mapping and WildlifeHabitatLocating Survey Areas and Quantifying Effort

6. Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

7. NVCS Hierarchy

8. Stephens' kangaroo rat  (Dipodomysstephensi) Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer Habitats include: annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum,  Artemisia californica, and  Erodium cicutarium Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%) with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain. (USFWS, 1997)

9. Stephens' kangaroo rat  (Dipodomysstephensi) Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer Vegetation map NVCS Alliance Association Vegetation map Percent Cover By Stratum Soils NRCS Soil Series Topography USGS DEM Others Habitats include: annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum,  Artemisia californica, and  Erodium cicutarium Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%) with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain. (USFWS, 1997)

10. Stephens' kangaroo rat  (Dipodomysstephensi) Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer Vegetation map NVCS Alliance Association Vegetation map Percent Cover By Stratum Soils NRCS Soil Series Topography USGS DEM Others Habitats include: annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum,  Artemisia californica, and  Erodium cicutarium Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%) with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain. (USFWS, 1997)

11. Stephens' kangaroo rat  (Dipodomysstephensi) Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer Vegetation map NVCS Alliance Association Vegetation map Percent Cover By Stratum Soils NRCS Soil Series Topography USGS DEM Others Habitats include: annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum,  Artemisia californica, and  Erodium cicutarium Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%) with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain. (USFWS, 1997)

12. Stephens' kangaroo rat  (Dipodomysstephensi) Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer Vegetation map NVCS Alliance Association Vegetation map Percent Cover By Stratum Soils NRCS Soil Series Topography USGS DEM Others Habitats include: annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum,  Artemisia californica, and  Erodium cicutarium Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%) with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain. (USFWS, 1997)

13. California gnatcather  (Polioptila californica) Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer Vegetation map NVCS Alliance Association Vegetation map Density of Cover By Stratum • Vegetation map • Vegetation Height • By Stratum Habitats : Prefers vegetation dominated by Eriogonum fasciculatum and Artemisia californica Disfavors vegetation dominated by Salvia mellifera, and Malosma laurina Typical habitat structure is open with shrub cover range of 25 – 40% Disfavors vegetation greater than 2 meters

14. Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

15. Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer

16. Coastal cactus wren (Campylorhynchusbrunneicapillus) Wildlife Habitat ModelVegetation Map Forms the Base Analysis Layer Vegetation map NVCS Alliance Association Habitats : Prefers vegetation dominated by Eriogonum fasciculatum and Artemisia californica Disfavors vegetation dominated by Salvia mellifera, and Malosma laurina Nests almost exclusively in Opuntia littoralis, O. oricola, and Cylindropuntia prolifera

17. Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology • Prepare (or adopt) a Vegetation Classification • Collect quantitative environmental data in the form of Rapid Assessments (or Relevés) • Conduct statistical analysis of dataset to form basis for classifications (ordination) • Define the qualitative and quantitative descriptions (membership rules) • Define mapping rules – How to spatially apply themes • Field map to begin delineating stands of vegetation • Complete work through heads up digitization in lab • Conduct accuracy assessment of final map

18. Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Calibration

19. Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Data Collection

20. Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Data Analysis

21. Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Quantitative Descriptions

22. Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Field Mapping

23. Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Office Mapping

24. Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Data Management

25. Creating a Fine-Scale Vegetation MapMethodology – Accuracy Assessment

26. Vegetation MappingFine-scale >< Broad-scale

27. Change Detection MappingSubtleties of Interpretation

28. Change Detection Mapping

29. Change Detection MappingImage Classification

30. Change Detection MappingHybrid Approach

31. Change Detection MappingAdvances in Remote Sensing and Classification • Intellectual Advances • Sub-pixel analysis • Object-based image analysis • Technological Advances • Increased resolution • Improving cost curve • Increase sampling frequency • Collection of multiple phenologies

32. Change Detection MappingAdvances in Remote Sensing and Classification

34. Jonathan Dunn AECOM San Diego, California